Weblog

Thursday, 15 January 2009

  • Real Change

    The word change gets a lot of press. Americans, it seems, are chomping at the proverbial bit to change the way they do almost everything in life.

    For instance, at Taco Bell, one may purchase a Double Beef Burrito—high on good taste, low on health benefits—for 89 cents. It’s practically pocket change. Change won’t buy you much right now, but it can get you a little. And Americans are hoping for more of it—both monetarily and ideologically.

    Obviously, Barack Obama is the premiere example of this trend. He ran on a campaign of two very inspiring words: change and hope. I believe we deserve the change Obama hopes for—even though I am very afraid of that change. (H.L. Mencken said it well when he stated that “People deserve the government they get, and they deserve to get it good and hard.”) Yes, based on the fact that our country placed a man in the most powerful position in the world simply because he could inspire us in troubling times, I’d say we deserve whatever that man dishes out.

    Ironically, since Obama has quit touring the nation while touting his notions of change, he has begun to settle into his soon-to-be new position by appointing many “old school” democrats that have set on ice while waiting for the return of a Clintonian messiah. His calling the left-leaning Good Ol’ Boys club back to Washington is tantamount to a grandiose four-year reunion of the mid-nineties. Hardly change, but few have taken serious note.

    Another “change” issue that has arisen lately connects to global warming. At the behest of draconian environmentalists, Americans have embraced—to one degree or another—the idea that we wicked humans have polluted the earth to the point that the it has warmed.  Accordingly, the melting of the polar ice caps will cause the second great flood to eminently occur within the next million years.

    Proof for this change is touted every time something odd happens with the weather. When it’s hot in summer, it’s proof of global warming. When there is a hurricane during hurricane season, it’s also touted as proof.

    For instance, today the news proclaimed that Flint, Michigan, was experiencing low temperatures that broke records set 95 years ago. In our society, this is taken as proof that the climate has changed, although in reality, it simply means that the weather is really cold in Flint—just like it was 95 years ago—and just about every year before and since.

    In reality, there is nothing new under the sun. The earth is experiencing weather just like it always has. The government is being governed by career politicians. Taco Bell has cheep and unhealthy food—just like it always has.

    See, the real deal is this: all we’ve ever really wanted is to do what we want to do… whether that be eating junk food, electing untried politicians, or bowing to the altar of extremist-environmentalism under the false guilt of affluence. Ultimately, things will never change. We’re all selfish and always will be without divine intervention on an individual level.

    And that’s why we’re not really getting the change we’re looking for—we’re looking in the wrong places.

Friday, 09 January 2009

Wednesday, 05 November 2008

  • Dry Your Tears, Christians

    (What I say next is as much a statement against myself as it is against anybody—so please don’t think I am just taking out my frustration on my Christian brothers and sisters. Further, I am writing from a distinctly socially-conservative Christian standpoint and am purposely making no mention of economics or American foreign policy situations. What I have to say concerns my Christianity, not my opinions of wealth and power.)

    President-Elect Obama is now just that—our President-Elect. He will be the point man for our country for the next four (possibly eight) years. He will command our armed forces, select our judges, and be responsible before to God for his positions and actions. Just as I am responsible for mine.

    As a Christian, I am called to focus on eternity—and by eternity, I am not referring to the amount of time until the next presidential election. The President of the United States does not define or inhibit (in ANY way) my ability to share the gospel and serve those around me.

    Now, I can already hear readers commenting that, “no, it doesn’t yet, but now that Obama is president, we won’t have those freedoms much longer!”

    So. What.

    In many countries (Canada for example) publically taking a stand on issues of morality is now subject to “hate speech” laws. I’ve not suffered under any such law, yet how many times have I taken a stand? In some countries, it is a crime to share your faith with (or actively witness to) others. It’s not in America, but when was the last time I have gotten up the gumption to get out of my comfort zone and tell someone about what Jesus has done in my life?

    We (the Christian community) have been very indignant about the liberal politics of President-Elect Obama and the (sometimes rather far-fetched) possible outcomes of his policies. Still, I would challenge us all to think about those freedoms we are so worried about. Have we used them enough to warrant our despair over their conceivable demise?
    Statistics and studies have shown that very few Christians do share their faith on a regular basis. I know that I am no exception to those studies.

    Over the last several hours I have watched the “live feed” feature of Facebook as despondent and despairing folks spilled their entrails all over their statuses—wailing and bemoaning the fact that their man didn’t get elected. I’m not saying I was happy at the outcome myself, but folks—please! He’s just been elected president, the congress is also controlled by his party, and he’s got a great personality. That doesn’t mean he’s the Antichrist!

    Furthermore, this turn of events doesn’t stop me from being an active Christian who is following the Savior and trying to love others with Christ’s love. Ideally, that is something I should have already been doing. But—because we all know things aren’t ideal right now—I haven’t been doing too well at that.

    So, while Mr. Obama sets up his cabinet and gets his things in order, I will continue with my life. Nothing will change with our freedoms. We’ll all still live in the same America as yesterday. People will prognosticate about how Obama is going to rob the rich to feed the poor and save the world in the process. Politics will go on.

    But will I take my freedoms more seriously?

Thursday, 30 October 2008

  • Obama the inevitable... and your point is?

    Well, my political gears are different this time around. I am still a conservative, still vaguely disengaged with politics, and still sidetracked with things that interest/bother me more than the socialist we'll be calling "Commander-in-Chief" in just a few days. But it appears my calling this election year is to be fatalistically disgusted with everyone and focused on other issues.

    I don't like Palin. Yes, yes, she's the GOP darling. She's sweet, spunky, and cute--basically everything I want in a wife. But, she hasn't been on the national scene too long and needs more time to get ready to be VP, much less President. (Small maritime borders, anyone?)

    I don't like Biden. Career politician, folks. Not exactly a cure for the state of the country, eh? Granted, he does have more experience than his running mate (a.k.a., President Elect Obama in 6-ish days), and that says something. (Like how we triumph VP credentials about experience, while ignoring the actual Presidential candidate's credentials?)

    I don't like Obama. Duh.

    So·cial·ism [sṓshə lìzəm]
    noun
    1. political system of communal ownership: a political theory or system in which the means of production and distribution are controlled by the people and operated according to equity and fairness rather than market principles (Example: "spread the wealth" much?)
    2. movement based on socialism: a political movement based on principles of socialism, typically advocating an end to private property and to the exploitation of workers (Sorry, Joe the Plumber. Sucks to be you. Have fun in your new tax bracket.)
    3. stage between capitalism and communism: in Marxist theory, the stage after the proletarian revolution when a society is changing from capitalism to communism, marked by pay distributed according to work done rather than need (Get out the Vote, schnell!)
    (Microsoft® Encarta® 2008. © 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.)


    I don't like McCain. As much as he triumphs his pro-life message, I remember different. And I've not exactly been "politically cognizant" for his entire career. Campaign Finance Reform (you know, the much hated "McCain-Feingold" bill loathed by Conservatives) is a crowning jewel of his career. Yeah, he's not my conservative homeboy.

    But, of the two candidates, McCain falls closer to the conservative line than does Obama. So I'll vote for John McCain.

    Thus, my Tuesday morning trip to the voting booth will be a trip of somber disgust, and, more than that, detachedness. I'm not so naive as to miss the inevitability of this election. Kansas will vote McCain, the nation will vote Obama. I'll do my part, but fatalistically--and frankly, with little effect (in the short term) to how I live. I--we--have a higher calling than simply performing my civic duty.

    Perhaps now more than ever, we Christians (or at least we depressed conservative Christians) can take hold of the thought that this world is NOT our home and there is more to this election than our simple goals. Once the election is over and we have yet another scary politician (this applies no matter who wins) dragging our nation in a direction that is not best, we will still have a nation that is predominantly ignorant of the need for a savior. We will still have leaders in just as much need of love and prayer as the next guy.

    So, on Wednesday the 5th, when everyone is crying into their conservatively political, non-alcoholic beer, I can't *just* be disgusted with my new President Elect. I must remember that my calling is the same and that life goes on. It is mine to redeem the time--no matter who my earthly commander-in-chief is, my *real* one is still the same.

Friday, 05 September 2008

  • of Palin, blogs, and DSL

    Another [brief] Legacy note…

    We are up and running! Orientation is nearing its half-way point, and morale is high. DSL was installed, so praise the Lord we don’t have to use satellite or dialup! The DSL came just in time so I watched Sarah Palin’s a-maz-ing speech on my laptop (she’s secured my vote).

    Also, in other news… there is no other news. I’m only focused on one thing right now (well, two if you count Palin. I’m pretty much giddy over her.), so I am not much for conversation.

    We’ve posted a picture and brief update of our charter school and staff on our blog at http://www.legacystudies.org/blog/ . Stop by and check us out!